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Wales lay down a Pool D marker with a 29 point win over Georgia this morning in Toyota. The 43-14 win saw Wales collecting a bonus point and it sees them moving to top spot in the group, above Australia, on points differential.
The Western British nation secured a dream start as Jonathan Davies broke clear to run over for a simple score. The pumped-up Welsh players banged heads in delight which may have been the reason for fly half Dan Biggar missing the conversion from in front of the posts.
Two more tries would be score by Wale sin the opening quarter as Wales were running rampant. First flanker got through barely touched to score and then Josh Adams did so, again in an effort in which Georgia’s usually reliable defense was absent. Wales would wrap up the bonus point before half time as fullback Liam Williams scored.
While Wales were brilliant the first half effort from the Lelos was very flat. The second half would be different as Georgia would match Wales in scoring two tries.
Georgia hit-back, opening their scoring. It came just two minutes into the second half with Shalva Mamukashvili barging his way over. Replacement scrum half Tomos Williams cancelled it out tons core Wales’ fifth try.
Georgia were not done though as they fought back to score their second. In a case in point of the rampaging runs from the Georgian forwards replacement prop Levan Chilachava finished off the opportunity. With Tedo Abzhandadze again converting Georgia were up to 14 points.
The final score of the game went to Wales with George North scoring a great counter-attack try after Wales punished a Georgian kick.
The match was free-flowing though it was not one without questions of the officiating. Following concerns from earlier RWC fixtures today’s encounter saw three moments of note. The first saw referee Luke Pearce determining to have been no foul play by Wales 11 on Georgia 11 for pulling down in the air. Law 10.4(i) notes otherwise with the TMO hinting strongly that sanctioning was required.
The second instance saw Wales 9 intentionally knocking down the pass. Georgia had been hot on attack and potentially moving towards a try. Was it an intentional knock-on? Did it go forward? It could have gone either way. The decision favored the defending team.
The third incident was in the second half wherein the Georgian 9 performed a no-arms tackle on the Welsh 11. This time it was not seen by the officials.
Wales play their second match of RWC 2019 on Sunday. They are to do so against Wales in Oita. Georgia’s second game is to also be on Sunday with it being against Uruguay in Kumagaya. Los Teros are yet to play their first match. It will be against Fiji in Kamaishi on Wednesday.
SCORING
WALES
Tries – J. Davies (2′), J Tipuric (12′), J. Adams (18′), L. Williams (39′), T. Williams (64′), G. North (75′)
Cons – D. Biggar 4/5 (13′, 19′, 40′, 65′), L. Halfpenny 1/1 (76′)
Pens – D. Biggar 1/1 (6′)
GEORGIA
Tries – S. Mamukashvili (42′), L. Chilachava (68′)
Cons – T. Abzhandadze 2/2 (43′, 69′)
Yellow cards – J. Bregvadze
TEAMS
WALES
1 Wyn Jones, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Jake Ball, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (capt.), 6 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Josh Navidi, 9 Gareth Davies, 10 Dan Biggar, 11 Josh Adams, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 13 Jonathan Davies, 14 George North, 15 Liam Williams
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Aaron Shingler, 20 Ross Moriarty, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Rhys Patchell, 23 Leigh Halfpenny
GEORGIA
1 Mikheil Nariashvili (capt.), 2 Shalva Mamukashvili, 3 Beka Gigashvili, 4 Giorgi Nemsadze, 5 Kote Mikautadze, 6 Giga Tkhilaishvili, 7 Mamuka Gorgodze, 8 Beka Gorgadze, 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze, 10 Tedo Abzhandadze, 11 Giorgi Kveseladze, 12 Tamaz Mchedlidze, 13 Davit Kacharava, 14 Mirian Modebadze, 15 Soso Matiashvili
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Guram Gogichashvili, 18 Levan Chilachava, 19 Shalva Sutiashvili, 20 Beka Saghinadze, 21 Otar Giorgadze, 22 Gela Aprasidze, 23 Lasha Khmaladze
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistants: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) & Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
Attendance: 35,545
